Firecracker
by bm0611
Summary: When The Shield receive their own personal medical trainer, Dean Ambrose aims to make her life hell. He just didn't expect for her to set-off on him. -I amusing their ring names to keep it simple. **No copyright infringement intended. All recognizable characters and storylines belong to the WWE.** Read and review
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

It's so easy to become lost in chaos. Internally, it could muddle the mind and wretch the gut to new heights of anxiety. Externally, it was a distraction from that inner-battle. Brenna was dealing with her fair share of both as she searched unsuccessfully for the locker room she needed within the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. She was already road weary from the trek that brought her from her home in South Carolina to her new job, and the utter restlessness she was feeling wasn't helping either.

It took nearly half an hour for Bren to successfully navigate the large structure. Fatefully, however, she found herself staring at the name on the door. _The Shield_. She felt a chill run down her spine at the thought of the men that waited beyond the worn wood. She'd been a fan of the company long enough to know that they were merely playing characters—but they played them so well.

Brenna's hand stopped mid-air for a moment before she had the courage to knock. Her heart quickened as the door was wretched open by an angry looking Dean Ambrose.

"What?" He barked at the stricken-looking brunette. "You looking for an autograph or some shit?"

Brenna suddenly felt her courage grow. She cocked her hip and raised her eyebrow in a defiant manner. "I know your name. I don't need you to write it down for me. I am however the new medical trainer for The Shield. Now, if you would, back your attitude up and let me enter the room. I've got shit to do." Bren felt slightly more normal after letting her courage go on the wrestler.

Dean smirked before shifting his weight back and allowing her entrance into the locker room. He surveyed her appearance, utterly taken aback that someone so innocent in appearance had a mouth on her as she did. Dean let the door close and made his way back to the bench he had previously inhabited in their locker room.

Brenna shifted her eyes across the room before making her way over to the other two men in the room. Holding out her hand, "I'm Brenna Daniels. I'm your new medical trainer."

Seth was the first to shake her hand. "Seth. Nice to meet you."

Roman extended the same short greeting and kind smile toward her. Brenna was grateful that they seemed nicer that her first interaction. "So what exactly does this mean?"

Brenna set her bag down next to the small couch in the corner of the room before taking a seat. "A few things actually. The company has a lot of investment in your faction and they want to make sure you guys stay healthy and ready to compete. They can't afford for one of you to be off tv because of an injury. I will be travelling with you. I'm here for whatever it takes to keep you healthy. I'm a doctor and a certified massage therapist. If anything doesn't feel right, you come to me immediately. If I see signs or symptoms of a problem, I will act accordingly."

Dean was the first to speak, his voice dripping with discontent, "My dick doesn't feel right. You gonna check that out?" He smirked.

Brenna didn't miss a beat. "I can surgically remove it and shove it up your ass, would that feel better?" When she saw that he was pissed and ready to respond, she cut him off, "I don't have time for your bullshit. Make this easy or hard, I don't give a fuck. I'm paid to do a job and I intend to do it."

Dean decided against starting a brawl with a woman—he may not have had many manners, but he didn't want to be tempted to hit a woman. Instead he stealthily walked out of the locker room and slammed the door behind him.

Without so much as flinching, Brenna turned her attention back to the other men. "Any questions? You guys gonna give me shit too?"

They shook their heads 'no' before Roman responded, "We're gonna get along just fine, firecracker." The three smiled at each other.

At least she had two allies. If only she could learn to get along with the third.


	2. Chapter 2

So, I know that The Shield has disbanded, but I just couldn't help myself.

Chapter 2:

Brenna's eyes stayed glued to the television as she watched her charges amidst the chaos in the ring. She needed to keep tab on any movement, fall or hit that could mean trouble for them. That was her excuse anyway. Truthfully, she had been a fan of the sport for so long that she wouldn't dare miss the action anyway. She found it exhilarating—all movement and brute force, but with a gracefulness about it.

She trained her eyes carefully as she noticed all three men taking a beating with various metal objects by Evolution. Her first day and it looked as though she would have her hands full with all three of her charges.

The bell signaled the end of the match and, subsequently, the end of RAW. She was unsure what to expect as she waited for their return. She wasn't left waiting for long as three disgruntled and weary men bounded into the room with as much force as their pained bodies would allow.

Brenna decided to wait to approach any of them to check them out until after they had cooled off and showered. Neither of them spoke to her anyway. After they'd showered and changed Seth, as curtly as possible, finally broke the silence, "Look, we're pretty beat up, but wait until we get to the room at the hotel before you start poking and prodding us. It's been a real shitty night."

Brenna simply nodded and followed them to the rental car. She never said a word.

Brenna was not surprised that she would be rooming with the men. She did not, however, expect for only 2 queen sized beds to be at their disposal. She was going to have to share with someone; she just didn't know how to broach the subject. Instead the set her luggage against the far wall closest to the window and threw herself into her work.

Roman came to her first. "My neck feels like shit—like there's a kink in it. Is that the kind of thing we come to you for or just like serious stuff?" He seemed unsure.

"Yeah, I can help with that. Have a seat and relax you muscles as much as possible. This is going to be slightly uncomfortable, but it will be totally worth it."

Brenna set about rolling her fingers into the tight, tensed area of his neck, near the base at his right shoulder. He grunted only slightly as she worked the muscle loose. He had to admit, it did feel worlds better after she was done. Roman smiled at her, "Thanks, firecracker."

"Anytime, Rome. That's what I'm here for." She patted his shoulder before he stood to go to the restroom to change.

Seth was next inline. "Aside from a headache, I'm fine. I took an elbow to the face from Orton. I'm pretty sure it's not a concussion."

Bren grabbed her pen light and checked his pupils. She ran through the symptoms of a concussion with him and determined he was right. "You're just gonna deal with a headache, but I've got some mild pain killers that should dull it so you can sleep. Take one tonight and one in the morning if needed. If the pin consists, we'll get a scan done," she stated as she dropped the two small white pills in his hand.

Seth made his way to the mini-bar for a bottle of water and took one of the pills immediately before laying down in the opposite bed.

Dean was a stubborn ass, but he was in pain. His entire back ached as a result of the many moves he'd endured that night. As much as he didn't want to deal with Brenna, he needed it. "Look I don't like you any more than you like me, and I will still make this job difficult for you," he smirked, "but my back hurts like fuck and I can't sleep like this."

Brenna quirked an eyebrow at him, "I never said I didn't like you, I'm just not gonna take your shit. Take off your shirt and lay down face first."

He did as he was told. "You just trying to cop a feel?" He smirked again.

Brenna never missed a beat, "If I was gonna cop a feel out of anyone in this room, it would be the exotic-looking, giant Samoan God lying on the other bed. Lay still and shut up so I can work."

Roman chuckled at the interaction. "Baby girl, if my fiancé wouldn't kick both our asses, I would gladly let you cop a feel."

Brenna laughed before she started rolling her knuckles across Dean's back, locating multiple points of tension. She lost herself in her work, mentally stepping away from the tension between her and sexy asshole lying before her. She kneaded and rubbed while Dean fought the urge to moan. Apparently the spitfire had magical hands. Finally unable to hold back any longer, he spoke, "Shit, woman. I think my back may start to bother me every day if this is the treatment I get."

Bren rolled her eyes as she finished and stood from the bed. "You should be good to go. Take it easy tomorrow though. There are some muscles in your back that need a rest before you fuck them up royally."

He simply nodded before moving to get under the covers of the bed. That's when she noticed the only empty spot was next to Dean. "How the hell do I get stuck sleeping with you?"

Dean smirked, "Roman's a cuddler, so I don't share with him unless I absolutely have to. Seth is a kicker. Enough said about that. Plus they both have fiancés that wouldn't appreciate them sharing a bed with another woman. Therefore, you get me, sweet cheeks."

Brenna crossed her arms, "Sweet cheeks? Really?"

"Your ass looks might sweet in those shorts. Just saying."

Brenna sighed heavily before taking her spot in the bed. She was in for the ride of her life.


	3. Chapter 3

*No copyright infringement intended. All recognizable characters and storylines belong to WWE and affiliates.*

Chapter 3:

Comfort was certainly not a feeling that Brenna was familiar with. It was almost unnerving that she woke to a warm feeling of ease and comfort. It took minutes for her to realize that feeling came in the form of a fit chest pressed against her back, a toned arm wrapped around her waist, and warm breath against her ear. She would have felt a little better if the form didn't belong to Dean Ambrose. She couldn't deny that she found him physically attractive. Hell, his voice alone could probably get her going if the words that accompanied it didn't piss her off so easily. He seemed so much more tolerable when he was sleeping, so she let herself relax and enjoy the embrace for a fleeting moment.

Dean was confused as well when he stirred. Sure, he would have no problem fucking her, but her attitude and mouth turned him off. Yet he seemed to enjoy the closeness as she was quietly lying with him. He was certainly surprised to find himself enjoying spooning the woman. He'd never been one to get close to anyone. Roman and Seth, his brothers for all intents and purposes, had been the first people he'd really bonded with. Dean was a certified lone wolf. He sure as hell never kept any woman around for longer than it took to fuck her and duck out. But at that moment, Dean didn't dare move for fear of her waking and moving away from him. He evened out his breaths and closed his eyes, content to lay there for a while longer, until he'd fallen asleep once again.

It was hours later when Dean and Brenna woke to chuckling and what sounded like a phone camera snapping. Brenna looked to the end of the bed to find Roman and Seth taking a picture of them. Dean was the first to move. Sitting up in the bed and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "You're a couple of douche bags. Can't let anyone sleep anymore?"

Roman smirked, "Since when do you actually sleep? Usually you toss and turn for a couple of hours before you turn on the tv and chug a red bull to get through the day."

"Fuck you. I sleep just fine." But Dean knew Roman was speaking the truth. He hadn't slept that well in years—hell, maybe ever.

"Yeah, whatever. We need to hit the gym. Let's go." Seth was already dressed and ready to go.

Brenna spoke up at this point. "You two are fine, but you heard me last night." She looked at Dean before continuing, "You need to give your muscles a rest. Treadmill should be fine, but no lifting or crossfit today."

Dean just rolled his eyes and entered the bathroom to change and grabbed his bag.

While the guys waited for Dean to be ready, Brenna turned to them. "I'm new to this whole travelling thing. When do we leave and where are we headed next?"

Roman pulled out an itinerary. "We're headed to Florida next. So a lot of us will be close to home. Most of us live in or around Tampa because it's almost like a home-base. The performance center is there as well as NXT. Actually, I think we've almost got Dean convinced to move there. After taping Smackdown we will get a couple of days off before we head to Texas."

Brenna nodded. "I guess I'll finally get to rack up some frequent flyer miles. What time are we leaving?"

"We prefer driving at night. Less traffic. It will probably be around 7 or so because we usually grab food on the way out of town."

Brenna nodded. "Alright. I'll be ready."

Dean soon walked into the room ready to head to the gym, not even glancing in the brunette's direction. While it really shouldn't have, that bothered her. But she had a job to do and a part of that was not hindering the regular routine of her new charges. Brenna decided to make sure her bags were ready to go for later that evening. She pulled on a worn, fitted pair of jeans that had rips in the knees. They were old, but comfortable, and when Brenna was feeling a little cocky, she would admit that they made her ass look fantastic. She threw on a grey racer-back, thin cotton tank top and a pair of black sandals before grabbing her key card and heading out the door.

Brenna had every intention of spending the entire day seeing everything Nashville had to offer. And she did. She literally made her way to the hotel room half an hour before they were to leave for the next city. She was surprised to find the three men ready to hit the road.

Dean looked angry as he spoke, "We've been ready to go for an hour. Where the fuck were you?" He moved to stand in front of Brenna.

Brenna was taken aback for a moment before she found her confidence. "It's 6:30. I was told we would be leaving at 7. Excuse me for not sitting in the fucking room all day, but I have a fucking life. Next time, call my cell. But don't jump up my ass because you don't know how to fucking communicate." Brenna was seeing red. This man could infuriate her so easily.

Roman stepped in, "Dude, I told her about 7. It's my fault. Calm down so we can hit the road."

Brenna grabbed her shit and headed out the door. It seemed the drive to Florida would be a long one.

Thanks for reading! I'm very open to opinions, so please review and tell me what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

*No copyright infringement intended. All recognizable characters and storylines belong to the WWE*

Chapter 4:

Brenna began to regret no charging her iPhone longer before hitting the road. The ride to Florida had certainly been more tolerable with her earbuds intact and her music blasting. Once her phone had bit the dust, she was suddenly glad that she was sitting in the back seat with Seth rather than dealing with Dean.

Seth turned to her when he realized she no longer had her headphones in. "So what are your plans when we get to Florida? We're getting a couple of days off."

"I thought about what Roman said this morning. If it's like a home-base, I might start looking for places there. I need a place anyway, and I have no intention of going back to where I lived in South Carolina." The disdain in her voice at the mention of her home was clear.

"What's so bad about your home?" Seth was curious and could see the same on the faces of his team mates as they glanced into the backseat.

"Nothing I care to talk about. Forget I brought it up." Brenna turned her attention back to the dark night passing by the car window.

Roman, wanting to get past the tension, spoke next, "So moving to Tampa, huh? It's a nice area. Jes might be able to help you look. She did it all for us while I was on the road. Not to brag or anything, but she's pretty freaking mazing."

Brenna grinned. "That would be great actually. I have no idea what I'm doing. Living with my family was a given and moving in with my ex was just the usual next step in the relationship, so I've never had to look for a place to live."

"I'll ask her about it when we get to Tampa."

"Thanks, Rome."

The rest of the ride was quiet. When they finally reached the hotel, Brenna made her way to the desk to see about getting her own room. Dean was waiting to check-in when he heard her request. He was unsure why it bothered him. He was sure he was the reason she needed her own space. She soon had her key card in hand and walked away without another word.

Dean settled into his own room after Seth and Roman had left to go to their nearby homes. He would usually revel in a few quiet hours alone when he got the chance, but this time he couldn't stop thinking about the woman 3 doors down from him. He contemplated going to a bar and finding a rat to bury himself in, but he just didn't find the attraction to that idea as he usually would. Instead Dean found himself in front of her door holding a six pack of beer and a pizza box.

Brenna was trying to quiet her mind and relax in a hot bubble bath when she heard a knock at the door. She cursed under her breath as she rose from the water and wrapped a towel tightly around herself.

Dean couldn't hide the brief look of lust when he laid his eyes on Brenna's unusually exposed body. And Brenna simply looked dumbfounded at Dean standing at her door, gifts in hand.

Rather than speak, Brenna simply stepped aside and let Dean through the door. He brushed against her as he passed to set the food down on a table. Brenna chose not to react to the contact and continued into the room for a change of clothes. Dean watched as she dug through her bag, admiring her toned body as she moved. As much as the woman infuriated him, he couldn't deny that she was very attractive.

Brenna retreated to the restroom to change into a pair of black yoga pants and a fitted grey tank top. When she emerged, she noticed Dean lounging comfortably on her bed minus his shoes. "Just make yourself at home," she said sarcastically—the first verbal interaction of this meeting.

Dean smirked, "I come bearing food and beer, ready for a movie night, and you're pissy with me. That's not how you treat guests, babe." When he noticed her ready to retort, he spoke quickly to cut her off, "listen, I came to hang out. Maybe if we get to know each other, travelling together won't be so intolerable."

Brenna decided to take him seriously, though she was unsure if that decision was wise. "Alright, but you cannot make me watch any chick flicks. I can't stand that shit."

Dean smiled and nodded before extending a beer in her direction, "How about some really bad horror movies?"

Brenna took the beer and climbed into the bed to sit beside him, their thighs nearly touching, "My running commentary is epically hilarious. Bring it on." She flipped through the channels before landing on _Leprechaun_. "I love this movie. I don't care how ridiculous it is."

They settled in comfortably eating pizza and drinking a few beers. Dean discovered that her running commentary during the movie was in fact extremely entertaining. Sometime after the pizza box was forgotten on the table and the 6 beers were drained, the light had been flicked off during _Sharknado_. Somehow, and neither was sure exactly how, Brenna's head ended up resting on Dean's chest with his arm bent and his hand playing with her hair with they laid on the bed, eyes trained on the television.

Brenna felt a jolt of electricity every time his fingers brushed through her hair. She tilted her head back only to find him looking down at her. It was an impulse decision to press her lips against his, but the passion that ignited at the intimate contact was intense and Dean had her on her back hovering over her in no time, lips still connected, tongues dueling for dominance.

AN: Lemons coming soon! Read and review.


	5. Chapter 5

Warning: Lemon to follow. If you don't want to read, wait for the next chapter. Thanks!

Chapter 5:

_It was an impulse decision to press her lips against his, but the passion that ignited at the intimate contact was intense and Dean had her on her back hovering over her in no time, lips still connected, tongues dueling for dominance._

Brenna's hand ran through Dean's hair earning her a groan in the process. She felt his fingertips lingering just under the hem of her tank top before lightly brushing up her sides towards her breasts. Brenna's skin ached for more. She could barely control the need to completely be consumed by him—to just melt into Dean. In an effort to satiate her need, Bren pressed her body upwards, molding her body into his. Her breasts pressed firmly against his chest as she wrapped her legs firmly around his waist, grinding against his hips with hers.

Dean felt over-stimulated. He wasn't sure how this woman had begun to make him feel things he hadn't ever. It was all consuming, and he had to push it from his mind to keep from freaking out and leaving her a writhing mess on the bed. Dean decided dominance would be his default to keep from thinking too much. He leaned up and roughly pulled her tank top free from her body, exposing her upper body completely. He took a moment to admire her before attaching his lips to her right nipple while rolling the other between his fingers. The moan that escaped her lips as she arched into him sent a fresh wave of need straight to his cock.

Brenna began to feel overly-exposed as Dean was still fully dressed. To remedy that, she flipped their positions and began to undress him until he was left only in his boxer briefs. Sitting on his hips, Bren took a moment to let her eyes roam his body. He was hot; she couldn't deny that, especially at that moment. Unable to control herself, Brenna tossed her head back in ecstasy as she ground her hips against Dean's. Dean's hands went right to her hips to hold her tighter against him, before he rolled them and tugged off her pants. "Going commando? You seemed like such a good girl?" He smirked.

"Shut up and fuck me," she rasped out.

Dean tutted at her, "We're just getting started, dollface. I'm gonna make you beg for it."

Brenna was surprised at how much confidence he held behind those words and truth be told, at that moment, she would gladly beg for him. Brenna pushed her fingers into the hair at the back of his neck and brought his lips down to hers in a fire-starting kiss that ignited in the pit of her stomach. She used her feet to push his boxer briefs down his legs and onto the floor, leaving nothing but skin between their need.

Brenna lifted her hips to get that intimate contact she needed before Dean used his hands to hold her hips down. "I said we were just getting started."

Dean kissed and sucked his way down her body, leaving bites along her neck and hips. Brenna nearly came off the bed when his breath ran across her pussy. Brenna wasn't a virgin. She had been with her ex many times, but he had never taken the time to really work her over—and he had certainly never licked her intimately.

She blushed when Dean looked at her after her response. "I haven't even touched it yet," he smirked.

Brenna looked away for a moment, "I've uh… No one's ever…done that…to me."

Dean's brows knitted together. "No one has ever gone down on you before?" She shook her head 'no' before he gave a genuine half-smile, "Get ready for the ride of your life, darlin'." Brenna could see the glint of excitement on his face before he set to task.

Dean lightly flicked his tongue lightly against the lips of her pussy, eliciting a gasp and moan from Brenna. He'd never heard anyone respond to such a small touch the way she did. He found he enjoyed it despite her inexperience. When he let his tongue dance across her clit, he had to hold her down. Brenna's senses were completely aware and on edge when he sucked her clit into his mouth forcefully. She came so fast and unexpectedly at the action that it took both of them by surprise. "Fuck," was all she could manage to formulate. Dean didn't let up, making her ride out the orgasm for minutes before being assaulted by another shortly after when he eased 2 fingers into her opening.

For a moment, Brenna legitimately thought she had died and gone to heaven. "Dean…"

"Yeah?" he spoke wiping her juices from his face.

"I need you." He made no move, so she continued, "Please! Fuck me, Dean."

He came up to hover over her body as she grew more excited and frustrated. "I told you that you would beg." He brought his face down to her ear, letting his breath roll over her skin as he spoke, "How bad do you want it?"

She found her confidence for a moment as she stared him in the eye, "I'm tempted to tie you to the bed and ride you til neither of us can move. Do you want to fuck me or do I need to do this myself?"

Rather than respond, dean surprised her with a quick, hard thrust as he pushed into her with force. She gasped and clawed at his back, aching for more. Dean slowed, teasing her with shallow thrusts of his hips until she was undulating her own to get more contact.

She was so tight. He could honestly never remember being with someone so tight. He was having a hard time holding off on his own orgasm, but he was determined to get her off a third time before he did. Dean leaned down and sucked one of her nipples forcefully into his mouth as his hips sped up to a pounding pace.

Brenna reached a hand back to grip the headboard as she felt the wave begin to rush. She yanked him by the hair to eye level with her so she could sink her teeth into his shoulder as she came hard. Dean came as soon as her mouth made contact with his skin, finding the pain heightened the pleasure.

It was minutes before either could think far enough to remember their own names, much less the weight of what had taken place. Those thoughts could wait one more night as they let themselves fall into a deep sleep, wrapped around each other.

AN: Hope you liked the lemon! More bickering and Deanna awesomeness to follow.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Dean felt the heat on his face from the open curtains. It was almost a small comfort from the chaos in his mind for a moment. He was afraid to open his eyes—afraid she would have run from him—afraid she'd still be there beside him—afraid either way. He knew he hadn't dreamt the previous night's events. He swore he could still feel the after-effects of the intense intimacy. But he was torn between being simply satisfied and ready to duck out on her and feeling like a douche bag for fucking his new medical trainer.

Slowly, Dean cracked open his eyes and stared at the beautiful woman sleeping beside him. As much as he felt the need to pull her close and hold her, he knew he didn't do relationships. He's witnesses too many fucked up relationships through his mother to ever want to experience that shit for himself. He knew what he needed to do. He was going to run away.

Brenna stayed sleeping peacefully as Dean pulled on his pants and headed into the bathroom. He stared at his reflection, contemplating his next move when he caught sight of the bite on his shoulder. A small mark, but a tell-tale sign that she had him for a moment. It was a reminder of how satisfying and surprisingly rough she was in bed. Dean chuckled as he pulled on his shirt. He took one final glance at Brenna's sleeping form before heading back to his room. She was either going to be hurt or pissed. He couldn't decide which he preferred.

Brenna was a little more than satisfied when she awoke. Her body ached in a way that she would only associate with being fully fucked. She was however, slightly hurt when she realized Dean had already left before she woke up. But before she let her mind go into overdrive, she reminded herself that she was positive that Dean wasn't a relationship-type guy. She couldn't decide why she thought hooking up with Dean was a good idea. He couldn't give her what she needed, and she didn't need to drag anyone into the mess her life had become.

It was mere hours later that Brenna found herself in the front seat of Jessica's Range Rover. Roman was right, she was incredible. Not only had she managed to win over Brenna, but she had found a few homes for her to investigate in a matter of hours.

"If I've read you right, and I usually do," Jessica grinned, "you're going to love this house. It's within your budget and it's very spacious." Jes had taken Brenna to lunch at a local café to et a better feel of the woman. They'd fallen into conversation and comfort like long, lost friends. Brenna just felt the warmth flow right off of Jessica. She'd never felt so comfortable with someone she just met, but she could certainly see a long-term friendship with this woman, and she certainly saw why Roman had fallen in love with her.

Brenna smiled brightly at Jessica. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate this."

"Well, I may have an inside on this place." Jessica looked at Brenna from her side view before continuing. "So, Roman and I actually own this place. We bought it as a foreclosure and I slowly worked on it while Leila was in school over the last year. I put a lot of sweat and tears in this place, but it's finally ready. I've been putting off selling it because of the work I put into it. I want to make sure that whoever buys it loves it as much as I do. You seem like just the right person."

Brenna was a little surprised at Jessica's DIY personality. She cocked her eyebrow and smirked at Jessica, "So, you're like the man of the house—fixing shit and bossing Rome around." Brenna nodded her head and raised an eyebrow, "I like it."

Jessica laughed, "Yeah, but don't tell Roman. I sometimes let him think he wears the pants." The girls laughed. Brenna was sure they were going to get along just fine.

Jessica pulled into the driveway of the house and Brenna was stunned. It was a beautiful 2 story home with a wrap-around porch. There were flowers bordering the house and mature trees in the yard. There was even a porch swing that faced the quiet street. She honestly didn't need to see any more to say for sure that this was going to be the house for her.

The inside was even more amazing. The first floor was semi-open concept. The living room was off to the left once she entered from the foyer. To the right was the dining room. Behind the dining room was a large country-style kitchen. Brenna couldn't wait to cook in there. Cooking was a release for her. The kitchen in the house, alone, was the selling point.

After finishing the tour of the house, Brenna turned to Jessica with a bright smile, "I want it. Where do I sign?"

Jessica sensing her excitement, "I might have the documents in the kitchen…if you're sure." Brenna only nodded. "You did the hard work calling your bank before I picked you up. We just have to sign the documents and wait for closing. It should only take a week to close. The good news is that Rome and I don't care if you go ahead and move-in whenever you want."

Brenna was overwhelmed, but in a good way. She embraced Jes in a tight. "This is the first thing I've been able to do on my own. I couldn't have done it without you." Brenna had tears in her eyes as she spoke.

Jessica hugged her back before they signed the necessary documents. "Roman and I actually live next door. We have a guest bed that we can move over until you get your furniture is moved in."

Brenna liked the idea of having people she knew close. It would be comforting to have a friendly face. She nodded excitedly and circled the home once more before she heard three loud male voices arguing in the living room.

"Seth, stop trying to move to the right! If we knick the doorway, Jes will kill you!" She could spot Roman's deep voice anywhere.

"How come Dean's not helping?" Brenna would have laughed had the mention of Dean not stopped her in her tracks. She didn't want to face him. She was embarrassed that she had given in so easily—technically she had initiated it with the kiss. But he'd ditched her so fast that she wondered if he was embarrassed about having been with her for a moment.

"I am helping! Jes made me carry the sheets and shit." Dean didn't sound any different—as though completely unaffected by the previous night's events. That indifference stun more than thinking he would have been embarrassed.

Brenna decided to metaphorically put on her big girl panties and face the men. She smiled brightly as she entered the room. "I'm going to spend tomorrow looking for furniture, so you can just set it up right in the living room. You'll probably be moving it again tomorrow."

Seth groaned. "I think I deserve a massage after all this work."

Brenna smirked at him, "You can take out 300lb men in the ring, but moving a bed is a problem. And it's only the mattress. I won't need the rails and all that for one night here. I don't even need the box spring."

Seth looked thoughtful. "What if I help move your new furniture around? Would I get one?"

"Only if your fiancé doesn't get angry with me. I'm not about to have your woman hunting me down." She smiled. "Sweet, little Sethie… You need to get written permission from your girl before I touch when I'm off the clock."

"YES!" Seth looked like a kid at that.

Dean looked less than pleased as he gracelessly dropped the sheets and blanket on the floor.

Seth was eyeing Brenna. "So, Bren, what did you do last night?" He looked suspiciously at her form.

"I watched some shitty horror movies. Why?" She could hear something off in his voice.

"Well, then how did those love bites on your neck get there?" Seth pointed at the small bruises under her ear and at the base of her neck.

Brenna's eyes went wide. She'd forgotten about her newly formed marks when she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "I may have had some company last night, but it's certainly not something I'm gonna talk to you about."

Seth wasn't letting it go. He'd put the pieces of the puzzle together and he'd be damned if he was going to keep his mouth shut. "Between your hickies and the bite mark on Dean, I think you guys may have spent some time together."

They were busted. Dean rubbed the back of his neck, opting to not speak. That only spurred Brenna's disdain for his indifference even more. Brenna grew kind of solemn, her mood shifting a bit darker. "Yeah, well, it was obviously a mistake anyway, so let's just forget about it." She gave no one else a chance to speak as she headed upstairs.

Seth and Roman looked at Dean as he watched her walk away. He wasn't sure why her statement bothered him, but it had.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Brenna was getting ready to settle onto the mattress in her living room for the night when she heard a knock on her door. A feeling of déjà vu loomed over as she opened the door to reveal Dean. What was with this guy and interrupting her peace.

"Really? Do you have some sort of radar that alerts you when I'm trying to relax?" Brenna sounded frustrated as she walked away from the open door, allowing Dean to enter the home.

Dean stared at her retreating form, covered only in a slightly loose grey V-neck tee shirt and a pair of lacy, black boy shorts. "Do you always answer your door half naked?"

Brenna looked back at him from the mattress, "Only 4 people know I'm here. It was obviously going to be either you, Roman, Seth or Jes." She pulled the covers over her body and got comfortable. "Why are you here Dean? You don't like being around me and I'm not that fond of you."

Dean kicked off his shoes and settled on the mattress as Bren sighed in annoyance. "Last night you were all into me getting into bed with you. I guess it was… what did you call it? A mistake? You don't want me here now?"

Brenna rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a girl. Let's be honest for a second. You don't do relationships. I don't do casual hook-ups. I'm not sure why I thought last night was a good idea because neither of us can get what we want from it." She looked at Dean pointedly, "We're going to work together and pretend that it never happened."

Before Dean could retort, Brenna's phone started ringing. Brenna groaned when she saw the caller id, but answered anyway. "What do you want Dillon?"

"You need to get your ass back home, Bren? I'm playing with you. Either come back now, or I will come find you." Brenna could hear the anger in her ex-fiancé's voice. She couldn't help but tense up in fear. He scared her.

Dean could hear him yelling from the phone and sensed the change in Brenna. Her eyes were watering and she had begun to shake. "I'm not coming back. You can hunt me down, but I'm not backing down." She hung up the phone and silenced it before he could respond. Her voice shook as she spoke to Dean, not daring a look in his direction, "You should probably go, Dean."

Dean couldn't help but wonder what this woman had gone through. She showed signs of distress and fear. Dean knew how an abused person reacted. He'd watched his own other quake in fear at the hands of many men. He could see it clear as day on Brenna. He may have been an asshole, but he wasn't about to leave her as she was. Dean pulled off his jeans and settled in under the covers, pulling her back into his embrace. He just held her as silent tears escaped rolled down her face.

After a while, Dean broke the silence. "So, I'm stealing Roman's truck tomorrow and we can look for some furniture for you. I need to look anyway."

"You decided to move here?" Brenna's voice sounded stuffy, but her mood had lifted slightly.

"I haven't told the guys yet. I was waiting to make sure I liked it. I bought a condo a mile from here a couple of months ago. I just got word yesterday that my condo in Vegas finally sold. Guess I'm a local now." He had his eyes closed as he spoke—running his hand up and down her back in a soothing manner.

Brenna had been admiring his face. He looked so peaceful. She felt as if she could tell him everything in that moment—all of the bad memories, the past experiences, the bruises and blood. "I'm scared, Dean."

Dean's eyes opened. He could see the fear in her features. "What are you scared of?"

Brenna looked down, "He's gonna find me. I won't go back. He'll have to kill me first." Brenna knew as soon as the words left her mouth that she shouldn't have divulged so much information. She wanted to pick the words back up and stuff them back down her throat—save face and fight her battle silently. Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky.

Dean was speechless for a moment. "We won't let him hurt you."

That statement only settled Brenna farther back into reality. "No. This is my battle. We work together and I'm not going to put y'all in my mess." She moved away from Dean. "I'm going to sleep. You can stay or not—up to you." Brenna couldn't afford to put her professional relationship with Dean through another mistake. She needed to be able to work with him without personal things getting in the way.

Dean sat up. "You drop that bomb and then expect me to pretend it didn't happen?" He was pissed. "You're seriously more worried about us getting personal than a guy beating the shit out of you. What the hell is wrong with you? I admit I'm an asshole, but I'm sure as fuck not going to let someone potentially kill you just to keep some distance."

Brenna nodded, "I get what you're saying, but you have to understand that I have survived thus far. Maybe you should just go, Dean. Forget I said anything."

Dean laid down and decided to get some sleep. Maybe he could talk to the guys in the morning and get their opinions. He had no idea what to do.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Brenna and Dean slowly started to wake around the same time the following morning. At some point during the night, Brenna had wrapped herself around Dean's back, making him the little spoon. He chuckled at the idea as Brenna started to pull away. "You're more of a cuddler than Roman."

Brenna giggled as they stood from the mattress. She stretched before turning to Dean. "I've got to shower before we head out."

Dean nodded. "I'm gonna be next door at Roman's. Come find me when you're ready."

Dean sat in the kitchen with Roman, Seth and Jessica. "I don't know what to do. She told me to forget about it, but when her safety and possibly life are in danger, I can't pretend to be ignorant."

The group had listened intently as Dean explained the situation. Seth looked ready to start swinging. He was pissed. They'd only known her for days, but spending hours upon hours together, they'd quickly become friends. Professional relationship be damned, he wouldn't let anything happen to his newly proclaimed baby sister.

Roman ran his hand across his face. He didn't know what to say either. She'd grown so close to Jes the previous day and he couldn't help but see her as a surrogate sibling. She was his firecracker.

Jes was the only one to speak. "Don't overthink it. You're not going to let her get hurt. I get that she doesn't want to get you all involved, but you're better men than that." The weight of the situation hit her as well. In only 1 day, she felt as if she had a new best friend. They had instantly felt a deep, kindred connection. She knew her boys would keep Brenna safe—they just needed to see it themselves. "As long as you've got her back, she's going to be fine."

Roman nodded as did Seth and Dean. They'd learned to never question Jessica. She had an uncanny ability to always be right.

"Don't tell her you know anything…at least until we know what the next move is. I'll try to get more info out of her." Dean turned to Roman, "I need to borrow your truck today. She's going to find furniture and I need to look as well."

Seth perked up, "You decided to stay?" A Cheshire-like smile spread across his face. Both of his pseudo-brothers in one city was too exciting to Seth.

"My condo sold. I found another one here. Don't piss your pants, dude. I'm like a mile away, so I won't be right next door like you guys….and now Brenna." Den looked at Roman and Jes, "You keep this shit up and you'll have a fucking neighborhood of family."

Seth looked like a little kid excited for Christmas. He held his arms open as he approached Dean. "Bring it in, bro! Share the love. You can't escape it."

Dean started backing away. "Dude, I'll kick your ass! I don't do hugs."

Dean took off in a sprint around the house with Seth on his heels. Brenna was surprised at the commotion when she entered. Seth had Dean on the floor of the kitchen with his arms and legs wrapped around the man. "I knew you loved us! You just couldn't stay away!"

Dean struggled to roll over with Seth attached. "If this is the treatment I'm gonna get, I might move back to Vegas."

Seth finally let go and Brenna and Jes stood back laughing while Roman just shook his head.

"Alright, let's get a move on. I want my furniture delivered by tonight." Brenna was still smiling.

Dean nodded, "Yeah, I couldn't take another night on the mattress on your floor."

Roman's eyebrow rose as he looked between Dean and Brenna.

"I told you to hit the bricks. You just didn't listen. AND you kept putting your cold feet on me. You're a woman when you sleep, I swear." The room filled with snickering.

"I'm a woman when I sleep? You cuddle worse than Roman…and that's saying something." He turned to look at the guys and Jes, "I woke up as the little spoon this morning. I haven't decided how I feel about that one yet." He grabbed the keys from the counter. "Let's go. I need to stop by my condo on our way to town."

Brenna felt the mood of the room shift after Dean had left. Roman, Seth and Jessica didn't look any different, but the silence left her feeling like something had changed. "Is everything okay?" Bren's eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

Roman wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Everything's fine, firecracker. But don't keep your woman waiting."

Brenna chuckled as she walked away from the group.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

"This is a really nice condo," Brenna stated taking in the living space. "I pictured you as a grungy bachelor pad kind of guy."

Dean walked back into the living room from his bedroom, "Really? I don't give off that overly sophisticated vibe. I'm a little hurt," he joked.

Brenna rolled her eyes. "You take longer to get ready than I do. Maybe you really are more of a woman."

Dean put his hands on his hips. "Alright, alright. Let's go."

Brenna followed Dean back to the truck where they rode in silence. It seemed like such a shame when Brenna's phone ran after Dean had parked. She just stared down at her phone like it was going to sprout legs and walk away.

Dean could tell by her expression and silence exactly who was calling. Without thinking he grabbed her phone, answering it, "Yeah."

"Who the fuck is this? Where's Bren?" Dillon's voice dripped with venom.

"You kiss your mama with that mouth?" Dean smirked. "Stop calling Brenna. If you come within a ten mile radius of her, I will rip you apart limb from limb. Don't fuck with her," then Dean simply hung up.

Brenna wasn't sure what to say or feel. She wanted him to stay out of it. He'd probably just made the whole situation all the worse. She was grateful that he apparently cared a little, but she didn't want Dean tangled in the dangerous situation in which she found herself.

Dean handed her phone back to her, "We're gonna stop by Sprint and change your number while we're out today." He gave her no room to disagree. It was a statement, not a question.

Brenna looked at Dean, "If he wasn't pissed before, he is now." She looked melancholic, "You have probably just made this so much worse for me."

Before Bren could open the truck door, Dean grabbed her arm, "I don't care if you don't want me involved, I'm not gonna let him get to you. And don't try to talk me out of it. Your whole 'strictly professional' relationship thing with me is out the window. We slept together, in every sense of the word. Ain't no goin' back now, darlin'."

Despite her previous objections, Brenna found a small bit of relief to no longer being alone in her situation. She still had no words, so she quickly reached across the console and pulled Dean into a hug. She held on tight, pouring every feeling she had into it.

Dean was a little taken aback. It was seconds that felt like minutes before he attempted to pat her back. It reminded Brenna of a child being forced to hug an old person—awkward and forced. So, she let go and continued the task of leaving the vehicle. Dean followed her into the furniture store.

Brenna hadn't been looking forward to shopping for furniture. She was never very fond of shopping at all. But shopping with Dean was way more entertaining than she could have imagined. He had a quip for everything. He'd insisted on personally trying out every piece of furniture in the store. As much as she should have been annoyed that he was wasting so much time, it had been fun. They'd both located every item they needed except mattresses—those were last.

Brenna was glad to get in on the testing for that particular piece of furniture. She refused to live with an uncomfortable mattress. They had laid on every single one, finally stopping to lay on the last one and talk about which one was the best.

"I like this one," Brenna was quite comfy on the memory foam that was supposed to stay cooler at all times.

Dean smirked rolling over next to Bren. "We should see how it would feel rolling around on this puppy." He pulled Brenna into him, "Just in case I decide to stay over.

Brenna laughed and smacked his chest. "You've got your own place here now, why you crashing at mine?"

Dean wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as he rolled and pulled Bren with him. "You know you can't get enough of me."

They both laughed as a store associate walked by, clearing their throat at the suggestive behavior. Brenna took that as her cue to roll off of the bed walk toward the counter to pay for her purchases and set-up delivery. Unfortunately for Brenna, but fortunately for Dean, their purchases could not be delivered to their respective homes until the following day.

"You know, if you hadn't insisted on lounging on every, single thing in there, we would have been done sooner and I may have gotten my insanely comfortable bed this evening. Now, I'm stuck with another night on the mattress," Brenna cocked her eyebrow as they pulled the truck into Roman's driveway.

Dean smirked at her, "I'll just keep you company again. I know how to take your mind off of the lumpy mattress," he stated suggestively.

"At least I got everything else I needed," she said staring at the unbelievably full truck bed that housed bags upon bags of stuff for her house and food. "If you help me carry all this stuff inside, I'll cook dinner for you?" She tried giving him her best sweet face.

"Better get desert too," he stated grabbing an armful of stuff.

Brenna smiled and followed suit. Together it only took four trips to get everything inside…mostly because Dean was a beast and muscled way more than any human should on each trip. All of the items for the house had been unceremoniously dumped in the living room, she couldn't do shit with them until the following day anyway.

The groceries had been placed on the kitchen island. She wouldn't be home much, so she didn't buy much, but she had the makings for lasagna and set about making the dish as Dean left to return the keys to Roman.

After she got the lasagna in the oven and tidied up, Brenna whipped up some brownies before setting them to cook in the second part of her double oven. Brenna assumed Dean had been catching up with the guys for a while because he came back in when the food was cooling on the stove and Brenna was cutting the brownies.

Dean leaned the island and watched as she floated around the kitchen—she was in the zone. It was as though this was her own little world. Dean was pulled from his musings when she plated the lasagna and set his in front of him with a bottle of water. "It's kind of awkward eating here with nowhere to sit. Sorry," She stated while jumping up onto the counter with her plate in hand.

Dean settled with waist leaning back against the counter beside her. He took one bite of the food and swore she missed her calling as a chef. He moaned and closed his eyes. "Damn it, woman." He opened his eyes and stared at her, "Where did you learn to cook like this."

Brenna grinned, "I'm a southern woman. I better know how to cook."

Dean nodded, "When we leave Tampa the day after tomorrow, WWE got us a new bus. You might need to cook every night to help with our wellness."

Brenna chuckled, "I will, but not because of that lame ass excuse. I really like cooking. If I hadn't wanted to be a doctor so badly, I would have been a chef."

Dean had three helpings before he spied the brownies on the stove. Brenna laughed when he put 5 on a plate and dug into it. She grabbed one as well and ate it before placing their used plates and utensils in the trash.

Brenna took her spot back on the counter. "Thanks for your help today, Dean," she said softly, placing her hand on his shoulder.

Dean felt the electricity from the contact. He turned his body to settle between her legs as she sat on the counter. His hands settled on her hips. He didn't move any farther, trying to gage if she wanted him as bad as he wanted her.

Brenna bit her lip when she saw her lust mirrored in his stare. She knew it was a bad idea, but she wanted him too badly to care. Her hormones won the battle over her head. She moved one had to the back of his head, pushing her fingers into his hair. That was her leverage to pull his face to hers. It wasn't long before they had melted into one another, tongues battling for dominance. The only pulled apart for moments here and there to pull off another article of clothing.

When they'd both shed ever article, Dean pushed Brenna to lay back over the breakfast bar. He let his hands roam her body, caressing all of her most private areas, before he leaned in and placed a kiss on her inner thigh. Brenna gasped at the contact. She knew he knew what he was doing. He's pulled her most body-convulsing orgasm out of her once before with his mouth.

Dean wasted no time in nipping her bud and sucking it into his mouth. Brenna was writhing against the marble countertop. Dean was doing things with his tongue that Brenna had never guessed could be done, and it wasn't long before she screamed his name as she came, gripping his hair in one hand and the edge of the bar in the other.

She ran her hand gingerly through the hair she had been gripping once she came down from her high. Dean smirked up at her as she slowly sat up. He wasn't expecting her to hop down off the counter and push him back against the counter top. She kissed his with a ferocity in her eyes that he'd never seen from her. She kissed down his jaw, nipping the flesh beneath his ear…he shuddered. She kissed down his chest, biting his nipple before licking the flesh. She kissed back up to his shoulder, looking into his eyes as her hand gripped his shaft. Dean had never gasped at intimate contact before, it was his second nature. But when Brenna looked at him with lust0filled, half-lidded eyes and stroked his dick with mild force, that's exactly what he did.

Dean ran a hand through her dark brown hair as she kneeled before him, but had to pull it away to grip the countertop when she not-so-gently began sucking him into her mouth. She wasn't a tease for sure. When she went for the gold, she went all-in, and Dean was fully enjoying her approach until he felt too close to the edge to let her continue.

Dean grasped her by the shoulders pulling her to her feet fast before spinning her around and bending her over the counter. He pushed one of her knees to rest beside her, opening her up to him. Dean rubbed his dick along her slit. "Fuck, you're so wet, Bren."

Brenna didn't reply, she simply pushed her hips backwards, engulfing the tip of him in her tight body. Dean groaned. He knew she was tight, but he swore she was tighter than last time. He had to pause after pushing himself all the way into her pussy. If he moved too quickly, he would come too soon. Brenna was ready to explode. She moaned loudly and cursed as he began to move, "Fuck, Dean!"

That was all the encouragement Dean needed to pick up his pace and begin fucking her. It was mere minutes before they both were teetering on the edge of bliss. Brenna's hips were moving back to meet his with every thrust. When Brenna sat up, one leg still propped on the counter, so that her back was against his chest, Dean took the opportunity to suck the skin beneath her ear. Brenna was ready to come undone as she laid her head against his shoulder. She turned her head slightly and whispered in his ear, "Come for me, Dean." And they did, simultaneously.

Dean leaned against Brenna's back as they waited to regain their strength and wits. If dean would have tried to move any farther, he feared his legs would give out beneath him.

After minutes that felt like hours Brenna turned around, giving Dean a soft, but passionate kiss before she pulled his shirt over her head and walked toward the mattress.

Dean took a moment to regain his bearings before pulling on his boxer briefs and climbing onto the mattress next to her. He didn't try to overthink anything. He simply pulled her body back into his and they settled in for a deep sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Dean and Brenna woke abruptly when the mattress shifted heavily the following morning. Dean lifted onto his elbow to look over Brenna's shoulder at Seth, who'd unceremoniously plopped himself into their bubble. Brenna, who'd been lying with her back to Dean's chest, giggled at Seth's childlike demeanor.

Dean reached across the woman and punched Seth's arm. "Dude! What the hell was that for? I was just trying to share the love." He rubbed his arm and Brenna laughed.

Roman, who'd watched the scene unfold, put his arm around Jessica while they chuckled at the interaction. Jessica was the first to speak. "Well, Ms. Daniels, I happen to have the deed to your new home and the second set of keys for you." Brenna smiled widely. "Everything went through yesterday evening."

Seth smirked, "I came to tell you yesterday night, but once I reached the door, there were some very… lude noises coming from the kitchen. I figured it could wait another night." Seth wiggled his eyebrows at Brenna, who was blushing furiously.

Brenna tried to stand from the mattress to walk over to Jessica, but found herself bound down by Dean, who wouldn't let go. "Dean."

Dean tried to look innocent, "What? I was comfortable! If we ignore them, they might leave."

Brenna rolled her eyes before she managed to get out of his grip. As she rolled to her knees, Dean suddenly threw the blanket over her. "What the fuck, Dean?"

"You're in my shirt…only my shirt. Everyone was gonna see your ass." Brenna blushed.

Seth took the opportunity to rib them once again. "It's pretty obvious to everyone here that y'all are fucking. Any chance you might tie the lunatic down?" He asked looking curiously at Brenna as she stood, blanket wrapped around her.

"I have no intention of tying anyone down—especially the lunatic."

"That one hurt…just a little," Dean feigned a chest pain.

Brenna hugged Jessica with one arm as she handed her the keys and deed. "So, neighbor, how about you come to mine and Roman's house for dinner after you wear yourself out moving in?"

Brenna grinned, "I would love to. And I need to meet Miss Leila. Joe talks about you two a lot."

Roman pulls Jess closer to him by her hip, "Damn right, I do."

Brenna was slightly jealous of the relationship they had. She wanted that too. One night stands with a co-worker wasn't the connection she longed for. She just hoped she could smother the fire that Dean ignited when he touched her.

It wasn't long before Brenna found herself alone in her new home. Roman and Jessica had gone home to spend some quality time with their daughter. Seth had gone home to his girl. Dean had gone to his condo to await his delivery.

The place seemed so big and empty after Jess and the guys left with the mattress and linens. She wouldn't have to wait long before the truck from the furniture store arrived. Piece by piece her furniture arrived. The delivery guys were very patient with her as she told them where to place each item. They even helped assemble her bed and dresser. The tech guy hooked up her television and accessories for her. While the assembling took place, Brenna baked cookies for them as a thank you.

By 5pm, the delivery crew had left and Brenna had managed to make the living areas look like a real home—hanging pictures and mirrors, placing décor items. She felt at home. She did her laundry and re-packed her bags to head out the following day. All-in-all, she'd accomplished a lot. And she was feeling it. Her shoulders ached and her legs felt like jelly from all of the bending she'd been doing. She was suddenly glad she had accepted Jessica's dinner invitation. She didn't feel like she would be able to stand to cook.

Brenna trudged across her yard and into Roman's, feeling exhaustion consume her the entire way. She didn't even bother pulling on shoes; she left her cut-off denim shorts and her tee shirt in place. Of course, Dean's was the first face she saw as she stepped into the living room.

"You look like shit." He had such a way with words.

Brenna feigned adoration, "Be still my beating heart! Dean Ambrose just insulted me." She then rolled her eyes and plopped down on the couch. She didn't even get a chance to see the others before she passed out. She didn't even get to enjoy dinner.

Roman and Jess made their way into the room to greet their new guest, but stopped short.

"Damn. She sat down like 2 minutes ago. She must've been beat," Dean observed.

Jess moved over to check that she was still breathing. "Poor thing must be exhausted." She stood and moved toward the kitchen, "I'll fix her a plate for later. Can you guys carry her home and put her dinner in the fridge?"

Roman nodded grabbing the plate of food while Dean picked Brenna up carefully in his arms. Instinctively, even in her sleep, she shifted closer to him. She intuitively found comfort in Dean, and even subconsciously, she turned to him. Dean just smirked down at her as he carried her through the door Roman had opened to her house.

"I'm gonna put her in bed before I head home. You can just put that in the fridge. Maybe leave a note on the counter for her."

Roman nodded, but observed how Dean was being so careful with the woman. He'd never seen him actively try to care for anyone. It was refreshing. Roman set the plate in the fridge and did as Dean said—leaving a note on the counter.

Dean laid Bren gently in the bed and moved the covers around her. She never even flinched, staying very much asleep. Dean looked down at her sleeping form, pushing her hair gently from her face. Before he could leave, he placed a light kiss to her lips. "Sleep tight, doll."

AN: This is certainly not my favorite chapter. I didn't even proof read it, but I hope it fills in the gap between this previous and next chapters well.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Brenna woke feeling unusually refreshed. She'd slept like a brick. It didn't take long for her mind to process what the day was—they were heading back on the road. She liked the break, but she was anxious to get moving again. Sitting still and becoming complacent could be dangerous with her situation. Dillon hadn't tried to contact her since Dean had yelled at him, but she wasn't naïve enough to believe that he was done with her. Of course, they'd changed her number, but Brenna knew that if Dillon wanted to get to her, he had resources. Dillon could use the contacts he'd made as a law enforcement officer to find just about anything on her.

At noon, she'd made her way to Roman and Jessica's house with her luggage ready to go. She was greeted by a very sad Leila in the living room. The 5 year old looked ready to burst into tears at any moment. No doubt she was sad her daddy was leaving.

Brenna kneeled in front of the little girl. "You must be Leila. Your daddy told me how pretty you were, but I just couldn't believe it til I saw it for myself," Leila smiled a little. "You know, your daddy misses you so bad when he's on the road. I bet you miss him too."

"Yes, ma'am." She had manners for sure. "I miss him whole bunches."

"That's a lot. But you know what, he loves spending time with you when he's home. I bet it would make leaving so much easier, if you drew him a picture of yourself to take with him and left him with a smile and a big hug."

Leila looked excited when she jumped up and grabber her paper and crayons from the coffee table, "I gots my crayons here! Imma draw it now so he can take it with him."

Brenna smiled as Jessica came to stand beside her. "Thanks for that. She gets so sad when he leaves." Jessica turned to look at Brenna thoughtfully, "You've become one of my best friends. If you ever need anything, you let me know. The last few days have been great. I can't wait for y'all to come back."

Brenna and Jessica embraced in a tight hug. "Thank you. It's so nice to have a friend here. I honestly have no one else in my life besides y'all. I've left everything else behind."

Jess wanted to ask about her family and Dillon, but she knew Brenna would come to her when she was ready.

An hour later, Brenna and the guys were loaded into the car heading to the airport to fly out to Texas. The ride was eerily quiet as Dean and Brenna sat in the back seat of the SUV. Each man had been trying to get a read on her. It was like she had clammed up—tangled in her own mind.

Brenna could sense the worry around her. She'd spent the last hour thinking only of her next move—what that was, she wasn't sure yet. She was all too aware of what Dillon was capable of, and she knew she wouldn't live through another round with him. She considered telling the guys everything. Maybe if they knew, they would push her away—make the decision for her to run easier. That's what she wanted to do. Or maybe if she told them, they would be aware of the situation at least. She didn't think it was fair or them to be in danger and unaware. Her mind was plagued with those thoughts.

It seemed like no time at all that Dean's voiced pulled her from her turmoil, "You gonna stay in the car or get on the plane?"

Brenna looked around realizing the others had already exited the vehicle. She carefully pulled from her bubble and followed them into the airport.

After a long flight, they finally arrived at the hotel in Texas. Brenna decided to get her own room once again. It was just next door to the guys, but she needed the space in case the conversation went the way she thought it would. She took her time settling into the room before going next door and knocking on the guy's door.

Seth let her in and watched her with concern. It was obvious that something was wrong, and every one of them had an idea what—or rather who—it was.

Brenna sat heavily on Dean's bed beside him and across from Seth and Roman. She was unsure how to start telling them everything.

Roman sensing her trepidation decided to help her, "Bren, is Dillon why you're here?"

Brenna's eyes went wide before she looked at Dean. "You told them?" She looked away with angry tears in her eyes. "You don't know 90% of the fucking story, but you shared it anyway?"

Dean looked calm, "I didn't know what to do, so I went to them."

Brenna looked up at Seth and Roman. "I want to be angry at Dean, but the truth is you should know because it could affect you. I don't want any of this to touch you guys. I want to be clear from the beginning—this is my battle…alone." Roman looked like he was going to speak, so Brenna cut him off, "Dillon and I met just as I started my residency after Medical School. He was just out of Police Academy—a rookie on the squad doing grunt work. He went on a ride-along with a more experienced officer and got stabbed mildly by a perp. I stitched him up in the ER, and that was that. We were together for a year and a half before I moved into his apartment. Things were great for a couple of years. We got engaged. We were happy." Brenna sighed deeply, knowing the hard part was next. "About a year ago, he just changed. I suspected drugs and alcohol. He'd taken to kissing ass at work and had worked himself into a respectable role at the department, so no one suspected a thing. He started picking fights over stupid shit and getting defensive. The first night it got physical, I'd been called into work. He came home and couldn't find me…"

_Brenna walked through the door exhausted. She looked worse for the wear and ready to pass out at any moment. She set her bag down on the foyer table and made her way into the living room. The moment she laid eyes on Dillon, she knew something was wrong. His bloodshot eyes and clenched jaw were her warning—he's looking for a fight._

_Brenna sighed as she sat on the couch beside him. She placed her hand on his knee in a loving manner, hoping he would let it go. It was only a moment before the back of his hand connected with her jaw suddenly. He pinned her to the couch, hovering over her in a menacing manner. "Who is he, Bren?"_

_Brenna couldn't speak. She couldn't fight. She was left quivering and sobbing in pain. _

"_Who are you fucking, Bren?"_

"_Just you," she managed to cry out._

_He hit her again. She could feel the heat where the blood pooled beneath the skin. She could already feel her eye swelling—no doubt it would be swollen shut by morning. _

"_Don't fucking lie to me! You fucking slut," another blow before another._

_She didn't remember the rest. She'd been knocked unconscious. She only remembered waking up naked on the kitchen floor, blood smeared along the floor from where he had dragged her._

"It was quiet for a while. A few months later, it started again and escalated. That last time…" Brenna was fighting back tears, "That last time, I thought he killed me, until I woke up in the hospital. He'd tied me up and beat me with a metal baseball bat. A neighbor heard me screaming and called the cops."

Seth looked pissed and worried at once, "Why'd you stay? After the very first time, why didn't you leave?"

Brenna nodded, she was sure this question would come up. "Fear mostly. And my family adored him. They still do. They wanted me to settle down with a 'nice young man'," she air-quoted while rolling her eyes. "After the first time, I did leave. I went to my parent's house. You know what my mamma asked me? What had I done to make him hurt me? And my dad said nothing." Brenna continued after a moment, "According to her, it must have been my fault that he hit me. I was then told that I didn't have a home with them—that I should go home to Dillon and apologize and _pray_ that he took me back. Leaving isn't easy when the very people who should protect you, feed you to the wolf." Brenna looked fierce after that portion. She was pissed with her family. She had every right to be.

"How did you get away?" Roman wanted answers as well.

"For the last 2 months that I was there, I had spent countless hours in the doctor's lounge searching for jobs far away from South Carolina. I stumbled across the listing for the WWE. It seemed perfect—constantly moving. Somehow I landed the job. I packed my shit up in the middle of the night when Dillon was at the station and took off without another word. My phone rang a few hundred times before I reached Nashville." She looked at each of their faces, "you know the rest."

Dean placed a hand on her knee. "We're not going to let anything happen to you."

Brenna brushed his hand aside. "That's not why I'm telling you this. I've already told you, I don't want you involved—any of you. But in the event, he gets close and I have to leave, I'd like for you to know why. I think we're kind of…friends. I feel like you should know just in case. You guys can decide if you would rather I leave."

Dean looked pissed as he stood and paced the room.

"Bren, we're not gonna ask you to leave." Roman looked concernedly at her, "and we're not gonna let him get you. I don't care how much you want to keep us out of this." He smiled at her as she settled a little calmer, "And according to Jess and Leila, you're family so you ain't going anywhere."

"Thanks, Rome."

Seth pulled her into a hug as they stood and whispered to her, "We got you, firecracker."

Brenna turned to face Dean, who'd finally stopped pacing. He wouldn't look at her. Brenna took that as her cue and walked from the room. As she began to close her door, Dean's stuck his foot in the door jamb. Brenna didn't fight him. She walked further into the room, before facing him.

Dean strode to her quickly and pulled her tightly into his body. "I don't give a shit if you want me to or not, I'm gonna protect you."

Brenna held onto him while shaking her head, "In my experience, I can't depend on anyone. I just hope I'm wrong."

Dean ran a hand through her hair absentmindedly. He knew she was wrong. He didn't understand why he felt the need to protect her, but he would.

AN: Sorry it took so long to update. My work schedule has been insane.


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